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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28144230">Charming Boggart</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mitzy33/pseuds/Mitzy33'>Mitzy33</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Boggarts, Book 3: Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Hogwarts Chamber of Secrets, Post-Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-12-18</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-12-18</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-10 16:07:59</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Not Rated</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,980</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28144230</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mitzy33/pseuds/Mitzy33</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>What if Harrys Boggart wasn't a dementor? </p>
<p>What if was a charming boy he'd only met a few months prior?</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Hermione Granger &amp; Harry Potter &amp; Ron Weasley</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>59</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Charming Boggart</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Harry Potter is 100% not mine (something which I cry over every night) and this does use lines taken from the book so you have been warned. </p>
<p>This is my first Harry Potter fanfic and I admit to writing it in less than an hour at 11pm on a Thursday so it might be trash.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“So, the first question we must ask ourselves is, what is a Boggart?”</p>
<p>Hermione put up her hand.</p>
<p>“It’s a shape-shifter,” she said. “It can take the shape of whatever it thinks will frighten us most.”</p>
<p>“Couldn’t have put it better myself,” said Professor Lupin, and Hermione glowed. “So the Boggart sitting in the darkness within has not yet assumed a form. He does not yet know what will frighten the person on the other side of the door. Nobody knows what a Boggart looks like when he is alone, but when I let him out, he will immediately become whatever each of us most fears.</p>
<p>“This means,” said Professor Lupin, choosing to ignore Neville’s small sputter of terror, “that we have a huge advantage over the Boggart before we begin. Have you spotted it, Harry?”</p>
<p>Trying to answer a question with Hermione next to him, bobbing up and down on the balls of her feet with her hand in the air, was very off-putting, but Harry had a go.</p>
<p>“Er — because there are so many of us, it won’t know what shape it should be?”</p>
<p>“Precisely,” said Professor Lupin, and Hermione put her hand down, looking a little disappointed. “It’s always best to have company when you’re dealing with a Boggart. He becomes confused. Which should he become, a headless corpse or a flesh-eating slug? I once saw a Boggart make that very mistake — tried to frighten two people at once and turned himself into half a slug. Not remotely frightening.</p>
<p>‘The charm that repels a Boggart is simple, yet it requires force of mind. You see, the thing that really finishes a Boggart is laughter. What you need to do is force it to assume a shape that you find amusing.</p>
<p>“We will practice the charm without wands first. After me, please... riddikulus!” “Riddikulus!” said the class together.<br/>“Good,” said Professor Lupin. “Very good. But that was the easy part, I’m afraid. You see, the word alone is not enough. And this is where you come in, Neville.”</p>
<p>The wardrobe shook again, though not as much as Neville, who walked forward as though he were heading for the gallows.<br/>“Right, Neville,” said Professor Lupin. “First things first: what would you say is the thing that frightens you most in the world?”</p>
<p>Neville’s lips moved, but no noise came out.</p>
<p>“I didn’t catch that, Neville, sorry,” said Professor Lupin cheerfully.</p>
<p>Neville looked around rather wildly, as though begging someone to help him, then said, in barely more than a whisper, “Professor Snape.”</p>
<p>Nearly everyone laughed. Even Neville grinned apologetically. Professor Lupin, however, looked thoughtful.</p>
<p>“Professor Snape... hmmm... Neville, I believe you live with your grandmother?”</p>
<p>“Er — yes,” said Neville nervously. “But — I don’t want the Boggart to turn into her either.”</p>
<p>“No, no, you misunderstand me,” said Professor Lupin, now smiling. “I wonder, could you tell us what sort of clothes your grandmother usually wears?”</p>
<p>Neville looked startled, but said, “Well... always the same hat. A tall one with a stuffed vulture on top. And a long dress... green, normally... and sometimes a fox-fur scarf.”</p>
<p>“And a handbag?” prompted Professor Lupin. “A big red one,” said Neville.</p>
<p>“Right then,” said Professor Lupin. “Can you picture those clothes very clearly, Neville? Can you see them in your mind’s eye?”</p>
<p>“Yes,” said Neville uncertainty, plainly wondering what was coming next.</p>
<p>“When the Boggart bursts out of this wardrobe, Neville, and sees you, it will assume the form of Professor Snape,” said Lupin. “And you will raise your wand — thus — and cry ‘Riddikulus’ — and concentrate hard on your grandmother’s clothes. If all goes well, Professor Boggart Snape will be forced into that vulture-topped hat, and that green dress, with that big red handbag.”</p>
<p>There was a great shout of laughter. The wardrobe wobbled more violently.</p>
<p>“If Neville is successful, the Boggart is likely to shift his attention to each of us in turn,” said Professor Lupin. “I would like all of you to take a moment now to think of the thing that scares you most, and imagine how you might force it to look comical...”</p>
<p>The room went quiet. Harry thought... What scared him most in the world?</p>
<p>His first thought was a dementor — A rotting, glistening hand, slithering back beneath a black cloak... a long, rattling breath from an unseen mouth... then a cold so penetrating it felt like drowning...</p>
<p> But before he had even started to plan a possible counterattack on a Boggart-dementor, a horrible image came floating to the surface of his mind...</p>
<p>Harry shivered, then looked around, hoping no one had noticed. Many people had their eyes shut tight. Ron was muttering to himself, “Take its legs off.” Harry was sure he knew what that was about. Ron’s greatest fear was spiders.</p>
<p>“Everyone ready?” said Professor Lupin.</p>
<p>Harry felt a lurch of fear. He wasn’t ready. How could you make that less frightening? But he didn’t want to ask for more time; everyone else was nodding and rolling up their sleeves. “Neville, we’re going to back away,” said Professor Lupin. “Let you have a clear field, all right? I’ll call the next person forward... Everyone back, now, so Neville can get a clear shot —”</p>
<p>They all retreated, backed against the walls, leaving Neville alone beside the wardrobe. He looked pale and frightened, but he had pushed up the sleeves of his robes and was holding his wand ready.</p>
<p>“On the count of three, Neville,” said Professor Lupin, who was pointing his own wand at the handle of the wardrobe. “One — two — three —now!”</p>
<p>A jet of sparks shot from the end of Professor Lupin’s wand and hit the doorknob. The wardrobe burst open. Hook-nosed and menacing, Professor Snape stepped out, his eyes flashing at Neville.</p>
<p>Neville backed away, his wand up, mouthing wordlessly. Snape was bearing down upon him, reaching inside his robes.<br/>“R — r — riddikulus! “ squeaked Neville.</p>
<p>There was a noise like a whip crack. Snape stumbled; he was wearing a long, lace-trimmed dress and a towering hat topped with a moth-eaten vulture, and he was swinging a huge crimson handbag.</p>
<p>There was a roar of laughter; the Boggart paused, confused, and Professor Lupin shouted, “Parvati! Forward!”<br/>Parvati walked forward, her face set. Snape rounded on her. There was another crack, and where he had stood was a bloodstained, bandaged mummy; its sightless face was turned to Parvati and it began to walk toward her very slowly, dragging its feet, its stiff arms rising —</p>
<p>“Riddikulus!” cried Parvati.</p>
<p>A bandage unraveled at the mummy’s feet; it became entangled, fell face forward, and its head rolled off.</p>
<p>“Seamus!” roared Professor Lupin. Seamus darted past Parvati.</p>
<p>Crack! </p>
<p>Where the mummy had been was a woman with floorlength black hair and a skeletal, green-tinged face — a banshee. She opened her mouth wide and an unearthly sound filled the room, a long, wailing shriek that made the hair on Harry’s head stand on end — “Riddikulus!” shouted Seamus.</p>
<p>The banshee made a rasping noise and clutched her throat; her voice was gone.</p>
<p>Crack! </p>
<p>The banshee turned into a rat, which chased its tail in a circle, then —crack!- became a rattlesnake, which slithered and writhed before —crack! — becoming a single, bloody eyeball.</p>
<p>“It’s confused!” shouted Lupin. “We’re getting there! Dean!” Dean hurried forward.</p>
<p>Crack! The eyeball became a severed hand, which flipped over and began to creep along the floor like a crab.</p>
<p>“Riddikulus!” yelled Dean.</p>
<p>There was a snap, and the hand was trapped in a mousetrap.</p>
<p>“Excellent! Ron, you next!”</p>
<p>Ron leapt forward.</p>
<p>Crack!</p>
<p>Quite a few people screamed. A giant spider, six feet tall and covered in hair, was advancing on Ron, clicking its pincers menacingly. For a moment, Harry thought Ron had frozen. Then —</p>
<p>“Riddikulus!” bellowed Ron, and the spider’s legs vanished; it rolled over and over; Lavender Brown squealed and ran out of its way and it came to a halt at Harry’s feet. He raised his wand, ready, but he still had no idea what he was going to do.</p>
<p>Crack! </p>
<p>The laughter died at the figure in front of Harry, confusion taking its place. Harry gulped as he took in the tall figure before him, pale skin - but not unhealthy so - jet black hair much like his own, but neat and not a strand out of place, and dark eyes. A silver prefect’s badge was glinting on his chest. </p>
<p>“Hello Harry.” came the modulated voice from his nightmares. </p>
<p>“Scared of a snake, Pot-head?!” Malfoy’s obnoxious voice seemed so far away that it was easy to ignore, missing the confused and putout tone the blond had tried to hide. </p>
<p>“Riddle.” He greeted in a taut tone. </p>
<p>“I must say, I didn’t expect to see you so soon.”</p>
<p>“More like never.” Harry snapped. He had completely forgotten he was in a classroom at this point, his heart pounding in his chest as he gripped his wand. Riddle chuckled as he saw this. “I knew you would come back eventually. There are strange likenesses between us, after all. Both half-bloods, orphans, raised by Muggles. Probably the only two Parselmouths to come to Hogwarts since the great Slytherin himself.”</p>
<p>There were several gasps from his classmates at this, putting together who it was, exactly, that was standing in front of them.</p>
<p>“We even look something alike... but after all, it was merely a lucky chance that saved you from me the first time. But the second -”</p>
<p>“Third. I faced you in my first year as well, don’t forget. And you didn’t exactly put up much of a fight.” </p>
<p>“That was a wrath of what I was, what I am. Imagine it Harry - the two of us. Both powerful in our own rights, as you’ve proven by slaying the basilisk, ruling over the magical world. We could be great together, if you drop the lion act. After all, what did the sorting hat tell you, that you could be great in Slytherin? It’s not too late to join-”</p>
<p>“I WILL NEVER JOIN YOU! You murdered my parents, you attempted to kill my friends, I would never join you.” </p>
<p>“And yet your mother would rather -”<br/>“Here!” shouted Professor Lupin suddenly, hurrying forward. Crack!<br/>The legless spider had vanished. For a second, everyone looked wildly around to see where it was. Then they saw a silvery-white orb hanging in the air in front of Lupin, who said, “Riddikulus!” more forcefully than necessary.<br/>As if the spell had broken, Harry stumbled backwards and realized he was shaking. Whether it was in fear, anger, or in an attempt to restrain himself he didn’t know. “Oh Harry,” Hermione breathed before he had a facefull of brown curls. </p>
<p>“Class dismissed, Harry could you please stay behind.” The professor said somewhat shakily. “Hermione, Ron you can stay if you wish.” </p>
<p>Slowly the class shuffled out, whispering amongst themselves. Harry had no doubt that his Boggart was going to be public knowledge by the end of the day. </p>
<p>“Are you alright, Harry.” Lupin asked, hesitantly. “I’m fine.” </p>
<p>“I should apologize. I should have stepped in sooner but I didn’t recognize who it was and by the time I registered who it was he was metening Lily and I just… I am sorry.”</p>
<p>“Did you know her? My mother.”</p>
<p>Remus smiled slightly as he sat down, taking a deep breath. “I went to school with your parents. In fact, I was best friends with your father and mother, I can tell you about them some over time over tea. For now though, you're excused from any other classes you have today and I would suggest getting some rest. Perhaps you could stop by the kitchens for a snack, I have no doubt you’ve found them by now.” Lupin said with a fond look that Harry couldn’t quite place. </p>
<p>“Thank you professor. We’ll make sure he gets back in one piece, won’t we Ron?”</p>
<p>“Course we will.” </p>
<p>“Thanks again Professor.”</p>
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